In gaming machines, the games must come to an end. In a slot machine game, the game ends when the reels stop and the gaming device analyzes the symbol positions to determine if one or more winning outcomes exist. In a poker game, the game randomly deals cards, the player has one or more opportunities to randomly generate one or more new cards and the player wins or loses based on the final combination of cards. In blackjack, the player's card values add until the player's hand beats the dealer's hand, loses to the dealer's hand or busts.
In each of these well known games, the game ends after a number of random generations. In slot, the game ends after one random generation. In poker, the game ends after one, two or more random generations, depending on the type of poker game. In blackjack, the number of generations varies, but has a limit; namely, the number accumulates until the card denominations add to a desired number or exceed twenty one.
Known bonus games employ a plurality of game ending strategies. One known strategy is a do-until sequence, in which the player picks until picking a bonus terminator. European Patent Application No. EP 0 945 837 A2, filed on Mar. 18, 1999, and assigned on its face to WMS Gaming, Inc., discloses a bonus game in which a player has one or more opportunities to select masked bonus awards. When the player selects a masked award, the game reveals the selection and provides the award to the player. The player selects until selecting a game terminator.
Another known bonus game ending strategy includes letting the player decide whether to end the game with a particular result or trade results with the hope of obtaining a higher award. The TOP DOLLAR™ gaming device, which is manufactured and distributed by the assignee of this application, provides the player with three offers and a final award. When an offer is given, the player may accept or reject it. If the player accepts an offer, the player receives the accepted bonus amount and the bonus round terminates. If the player declines an offer, the game generates another offer for the player, which may be a higher or lower award. The game is similar to poker, wherein the player has a limited opportunity to better an outcome.
In each of the foregoing games, the game ends upon a limited number of random generations or upon a result of the random generations. In an effort to create a more entertaining and exciting game, a need exists to create new apparatus and methods for ending a game and combine these with the known methods described above.